Changes in the Structure of Agriculture in Central and Eastern Europe in the Light of the European Green Deal

The economic transformation following the collapse of the Eastern Bloc and the accession of Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries to the European Union (EU) are milestones that have set the current course for their agricultural sectors. With their accession to the EU, the CEE countries obliged, among other things, to adapt their agricultural activities to the requirements of the common organization of agricultural market and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In 2004, the agricultural sectors of Central and Eastern European countries (the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia), and in 2007, the agricultural sectors of Bulgaria and Romania, were significantly different from those of the EU countries. After almost two decades in EU structures and in the face of climate challenges, it is interesting to discuss the assessment of changes that have taken place in the agricultural sectors of CEE countries and their future. Based on FADN data, the structure of agricultural sectors in Central and Eastern Europe and selected EU countries for 2004–2021 was estimated in terms of types of farming and economic size classes. The agricultural sectors of CEE countries have become similar to those of EU countries in terms of agricultural production structure, and in 2021 will be characterized by a higher level of production specialization than when they accessed the EU. There was also an increase in the economic size of their production, but it was still significantly lower compared to the economic size of farms in EU countries. In light of the goals of the European Green Deal (EGD), this observation may be useful for moving into the next stage of development of the agricultural sector in Central and Eastern Europe. Indeed, achieving the EGD’s goals will require setting adopted development directions, i.e., formulating agricultural practices that facilitate the transition to more sustainable agriculture, such as practices based on the concept of sustainable intensification or ecological intensification.